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From Glitz to Greenspace in Charlottenburg

Chic shopping, bombed-out churches, Tiergarten Park and a rhino or two

Difficulty: Moderate

Length: 6.7 miles

Duration: Full day

Family Friendly

Overview :
Charlottenburg is the commercial center of West Berlin, known for its high-end shopping and classy cafes.

But the neighborhood's... more » proximity to Berlin's wondrous park, the Tiergarten, means that after you've maxed out on consumer decadence, you can rejuvenate in a leafy sanctuary--preferrably by sipping a frothy beverage in one of several classic German beer gardens found in the park.

In between, you can visit some fascinating sculpture, pop into an art auction house, tour a church bombed in WWII or make friends with some zoo animals. less «

Tips:
This tour can last half a day if you sate yourself with window shopping and don't visit every point of interest. If you want to really... more » experience all of this neighborhood's highlights, give yourself a full day to do so.

Walking shoes are a must and don't do this trip on Sunday, when all the shops will be closed. less «

Points of Interest

This leafy square is one of the nicest in Charlottenburg. Pick from the abundance of lovely cafes and restaurants, settle into your spot on the terrace or near a window and fill yourself with caffeine and calories before you begin your jaunt through West Berlin.

2. North of Kurfürstendamm

Take in Charlottenburg's lovely architecture, leafy streets and cute--but often expensive--independently owned shops before you hit the neighborhood's famous shopping boulevard, Kurfürstendamm.

Lovers of chocolate won't be able to resist the temptation to stop at Nibs Cacao, a chocolate shop where you can justify any purchase with the... More knowledge that you'll probably walk it off.
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Nibs Cacao
Bleibtreustraße 46
+49 30 34726300Less

Kurfürstendamm: It's glitzy, it's chic and it's got a name nearly impossible for any non-German speaker to say properly. Don't spend your time trying pronounce its full name, just call it Ku-damm like the locals do and spend your Euros on its chi-chi wares instead.

When you need a break from the consumerism of Ku-damm or you just need to give your feet a little break, turn right on to Fasanenstraße and stop at Cafe Wintergarten in Berlin's Literaturhaus, a German literature foundation.

The cafe is located in a lovely Tuscan-style building with a beautiful garden terrace (and indoor seating too),... More where you can read a novel purchased from the well-stocked bookstore downstairs or join literary discussions with the academics that frequent this hard-to-beat spot.

Right beside Cafe Wintergartden is the Käthe Kollwitz Museum, which shows the work of this Berlin-born sculptor, who died in 1945.

Make sure you poke your head into the beautiful 19th century house next to the Käthe Kollwitz Museum. Villa Grisebach is an art auction house that sells primarily 19th, 20th and 21st century art and photography. Check out its wares and if you're lucky, people in the process of buying them.
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Cafe Wintergarten
Fasanenstraße 23
+49 30 8825414
Daily 9:30am-1am
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Käthe Kollwitz Museum
Fasanenstraße 24
+49 30 8825210
Daily 11am-6pm
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Villa Grisebach
Fasanenstr. 25
+49 30 8859150Less

The WWII-bombed spire of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church draws many a tourist, who can contrast the destroyed 1890s-era architecture with the new church, finished in 1963.

This comparison might not have been possible if public pressure hadn't stopped the plans of architect Egon Eiermann, who wanted to get rid of the old spire completely.

... More
There's now a memorial on the ground floor of the spire that displays many photos that detail the history of the church. They show its conception by Kaiser Wilhelm II as a memorial to his grandfather all the way to when the Allies bombed it in 1943.
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Hours
Monday-Saturday from 10am-4pmLess

If Ku-damm hasn't sated your shopping urges, make a side trip to Kaufhaus des Westerns--or KaDeWe for short--one of largest department stores in Europe.

The name of the department store translates to Department Store of the West and, as the moniker suggests, this was THE place to shop when the city was divided--even Stasi agents use to sneak into... More the west to buy products unavailable in the GDR for communist party members with exotic tastes.

It still is a great shopping experience. When your shopping list includes fresh pain au chocolat from Paris, organic Canadian maple syrup, Chinese handwoven tea with flower blossoms inside and a spectacular hat for an English garden party, KaDeWe is the place for you.

Most people arriving in West Berlin get off at Zoo station and have the impression that Charlottenburg is an armpit of sleazy porn shops and greasy fast food restaurants. This badly bombed area of Berlin was rebuilt in the 1960s by uninspired architects. Enough said.

Escape the mediocrity by walking right on Hardenbergplatz toward the entrance of... More West Berlin's famous Zoo. Until this year, the zoo's most famous inhabitant was probably Knut, a polar bear whose darling baby photos from 2006 made him an instant hit. Sadly he died in early 2011 after a rather tragic four-year life, wherein he was rejected by both his mother and several mates. Luckily the zoo and neighboring aquarium have a potpourri of other great fauna, including a Komodo dragon, a panda and many badly behaved monkeys.

Incidentally, the song "Zoo Station" on the Irish band U2's album "Achtung Baby" likely refers to this area, mostly likely because one of metro lines passing through the busy Zoo station is the so-called U2 line.
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Zoo hours
Daily 9am-7pm

New York has Central Park, London has Hyde Park, but Berlin's Tiergarten easily beats both for tranquility and luscious, green flora.

If you've packed some snacks, this is the place to have a picnic. Alternatively, stop at Schleusenkrug, the wonderful beer garden and restaurant on the banks of a part of the Landwehrkanal.

Continue on to the... More quirky Open Air Gas Lantern Museum. Yup. Gas lanterns. Ninety historical versions of these light-emitting devices from 12 European countries gracefully line several pathways through the park. A very tasteful addition to the green space.

This guide officially ends at Strasse des 17 Juni, where you can look down this broad boulevard that traverses east to west and admire the Siegessäule, the German Victory Column that features a lovely golden angel.

At this point you have several options. Turn right on Strasse des 17 Juni to walk to the Siegessäule, where you can visit the top for excellent views of the city. Or you can turn left and hop on the S-bahn at Tiergarten station. Or if you didn't get enough of the Tiergarten, turn back into the park and meander along its many wonderful paths. You may want to venture toward Cafe am Neuen See, a lovely garden restaurant at the bottom of the park, where you can eat and drink well--and even rent a row boat if a paddle strikes your fancy.Less

A monument to celebrate the Prussian (German) victory in a war against Denmark, it features a lovely golden angel. Climb to the top for great city views.
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Hours
April-October
Daily 9:30am-6:30pm
November-March
Daily 9:30am-5:30pm

10. Open Air Gas Lantern Museum

Some 90 historical gas lanterns from 12 European countries line paths through the Tiergarten.

A great beer garden on the banks of the Landwehrkanal. Stop here for a refreshing beverage or snack. And for a bathroom break before you get too deep into the Tiergarten.
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+49 30 3139909
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Hours
Daily 10am-12am

This lovely cafe and restaurant is nestled against the Landwehrkanal. It's hard to beat the location and its pizza is pretty stellar too. If the spirit moves you, rent a row boat and work some arm muscles to get around.
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+49 30 2544930
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Hours
Daily 10am-Midnight or later

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